GENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF A Trueperella pyogenes STRAIN AS A MAJOR CAUSATIVE AGENT OF METRITIS, ABORTION AND DEATH IN Bubalus bubalis

Trueperella pyogenes is a species of commensal bacteria which is present on the upper respiratory, urogenital and gastrointestinal mucosae of cattle. This species is able to cause pyogenic infections and health risks, alone or in association with other pyogenic bacteria. However, systemic disease with abortion and death in water buffalo has not yet been documented. Here, we isolated a strain of T. pyogenes , from a pregnant water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) with metritis and pneumonia, which finally caused abortion and death in the affected host. Thereafter, the virulence genes and antibiotic resistance of the isolate were investigated. Single PCR method confirmed the presence of the well-known virulence genes of T. pyogenes including plo , nan H, nan P, cbp A, fim A, fim C, fim E and fim G genes. Antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that this isolate was resistant against Tetracycline, Erythromycin and Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole. Furthermore, using Box-PCR method, it was determined that DNA fingerprint pattern of this isolate was different from that of a control strain ( T. pyogenes ATCC 19411). The results of the present study indicated that T. pyogenes can cause a systemic lethal disease in water buffalo. However, it seems that host and environmental conditions may also contribute to such infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a buffalo with pneumonia, metritis, abortion and death caused by T. pyogenes . Key words: Trueperella pyogenes ; Bubalus bubalis ; buffalo; BOX PCR; abortion, death DOLOCITEV GENOTIPA SEVA Trueperella pyogenes KOT GLAVNEGA POVZROCITELJA VNETJA MATERNICE, SPLAVOV IN SMRTI PRI VODNIH BIVOLIH ( Bubalus bubalis ) Povzetek: Trueperella pyogenes je vrsta komenzalnih bakterij, ki je prisotna v sluznicah zgornjih dihal, urogenitalnega trakta in sluznicah prebavil pri govedu. Ta vrsta lahko samostojno ali v povezavi z drugimi vnetnimi bakterijami povzroci vnetja in ogroža zdravje. Sistemska oblika bolezni s splavom in smrtjo pri vodnih bivolih se ni bila dokumentirana. Pri samici vodnega bivola ( Bubalus bubalis ) z vnetjem maternice in pljucnico smo izolirali sev T. pyogenes , ki je povzrocil splav in smrt prizadete živali. Raziskali smo virulencne gene in njihovo odpornost proti antibiotikom. Z metodo PCR smo potrdili prisotnost dobro znanih virulencnih genov T. pyogenes , vkljucno s plo , nan H, nan P, cbp A, fim A, fim C, fim E in fim G geni. Preizkus obcutljivosti na antibiotike je pokazal, da je bil ta izolat odporen proti tetraciklinu, eritromicinu in trimetoprim sulfametoksazolu. Poleg tega smo z metodo Box-PCR ugotovili, da se vzorec DNK tega izolata razlikuje od vzorca kontrolnega seva ( T. pyogenes ATCC 19411). Rezultati studije so pokazali, da lahko T. pyogenes povzroci sistemsko smrtonosno bolezen pri vodnih bivolih, vendar gostiteljski in okoljski pogoji pomebno vplivajo na razvoj okužbe. Kolikor vemo, je to prvo porocilo o bivolih s pljucnico, vnetjem maternice, splavom in smrtjo, ki jih je povzrocil T. pyogenes . Kljucne besede: Trueperella pyogenes ; Bubalus bubalis ; bivol; BOX PCR; splav; smrt